Freedom
by TheReaders
Summary: Chiaki is the Emperor's daughter. One night she returns home her family is murdered and she is left without her memory. Over the next few years she wanders trying to find the answers to her lost past. What happens when she meets the murderer, Kenshin?
1. Chapter 1

Freedom

Freedom

Disclaimer: I don't own Ruroni Kenshin.

A/N: I got this idea on a rainy day so if you want to keep reading this please review. Please and thank you.

Chapter 1: Forgotten Tragedy

Chiaki was never any good at listening to her parents. She always wanted to do things her way and she usually got what she wanted. Her parents were rich and they were powerful. They were the Emperor and the Empress of Japan after all. So when she wanted to learn how to use a sword she got what she wanted. But that was soon to come to an end. The night she graduated and came home from a long time away was to be the last night ever with her parents. She was eighteen at the time.

"Mom! Dad!" she yelled when she got to her rooms, "I'm home."

Her rooms had been left alone when she had left and the things around the room seemed so childish and wasteful now. When she heard the footsteps of her parents she turned to the door. Her mother came in first and she ran to her dear mother. Her father smiled at the reunion and he got a deep hug too.

"I'm home Father," she said, "And I learned a lot. I learned so much that I would feel if I didn't apologize."

"For what child?" asked her father.

"I was a selfish child before I went to learn swordsmanship and I'm sorry for being like that. That part of me is no more," she answered seriously.

"Well she has changed," said to her mother, "But that doesn't mean we can't have a welcome home feast."

Chiaki smiled as she followed her parents to the dining room where a huge feast was set out. She sat down and waited patiently for her father to start eating, which he did and they started to eat as a family.

"We haven't done this in a while," said her father.

"I am pleased that we have this time together," said her mother.

Chiaki agreed and dug into her food. But soon she stopped eating. When she had been training her normally large appetite had been shrunk to something smaller. She was full. Her parents looked surprised.

"Are you feeling well?" asked her mother.

"I'm fine. I haven't had this much to eat in a long time," she answered.

When they finished the meal the three talked before Chiaki dismissed herself to get ready for bed.

"I have to excuse myself now. I will go to bed now," she said.

"I'm sure you're tired. Sleep well my little flower," said her father.

Chiaki smiled and went to her room. She placed her two swords near her and changed before falling into a deep sleep.

Chiaki woke to the sounds of fighting downstairs in the throne room of the palace. Alarmed she shot out of her bed and dressed as quickly as she could. She had no more need for kimonos so she dressed in her training outfit she had worn home earlier that night. With her swords strapped tightly to her side she cautiously stepped out of the room. Almost as soon as she had gone three feet two of the palace guards ran into her.

"Princess are you okay?" the one who bumped into her asked.

"I'm fine. What is going on downstairs?" she asked.

"Attackers have gotten into the palace. Your parents are already at the escape tunnel. Go to them and escape from here. We'll hold them off as long as we can," said the other guard.

Almost as soon as he started to run towards the stair that would lead to the throne room he was shot through the throat with an arrow. Blood sprayed everywhere. Chiaki didn't scream, she had become used to the bloodshed of a samurai. The attackers killed the other guard when they saw her.

"That's the princess. Get her alive!" ordered one of the men.

Chiaki didn't run. Instead she stood at the ready with her hand on the hilt of her sword. It was a sakabato, a reverse blade. But her other blade was an actual katana that could kill. She could not afford to be merciful here. Placing her hand on the hilt of the katana she waited.

The men approached slowly, watching her every move. Little did they know that she was the one that was analyzing all they did. In the blink of an eye she lunged forward drawing her sword and then sheathing before she landed. Blood again sprayed across the walls of her rooms and all over her. She looked at the other men who had come with the two she had just killed.

"How?" asked the man, "You're not supposed to know how to fight."

In answer she killed the men in front of her, all of them.

Smoke hit her nose and she looked around. Flames danced up the stairs and smoke was quickly filling the hall way. Holding her uniform over her nose she made for the escape route. But when she got there she saw the bloody forms of her parents lying on the ground in front of the escape door. They had had no chance of defending themselves. Flames danced around her as she knelt and cradled her mom's head in her lap. Blood ran down her face from the countless she herself had killed. Tears mixed with the blood making it seem she was crying blood. As the palace collapsed around her she couldn't help but wonder why this was happening to her.

When Chiaki woke she was lying in the middle of burned ruins. Some of the wood and bamboo were still smoldering. Her head hurt and she couldn't remember where she was or how she got there. All she could remember was that she was a samurai and her name was Chiaki. She sat up slowly and looked around. The area of the ruins was huge, like a palace. Standing she shrugged about the whole thing and started walking. She was tired and she hurt in so many places she didn't know how she could move at that point. Dead men lay on the side of the road. Blood soaked the trees and the dirt around them. Thunder clapped overhead and rain started falling, washing the blood from the trees and leaves creating rivers of red water along the road she walked. Soon she came to living but injured people. Feeling it in her power she went over to a man on the side of the road. He was bloody and he was moaning but he was alive.

"Come on now," she said, "Help me out."

She let the man lean on her shoulder as she walked farther down the path. Suddenly a carriage pulled up by them. Some men and some women rushed from the inside. They went to the alive people on the side of the road. A nice looking woman approached Chiaki.

"Let me help you with him," she said holding out her hands.

Chiaki let the woman take the man from her arms. A man approached her.

"Now let's see about your wounds," he said leading her over to a tree she could sit under.

The man looked over the wounds on her arms and legs that had stopped bleeding a few minutes before.

"These are burn wounds," he said looking at them, "Are you from the palace?"

The man sounded hostile but she did not know why. She tried to remember.

"I don't know," she said, "I don't remember."

The man seemed to relax and cleaned and dressed her wounds.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you for your help," she said.

"If you need work go to the center of town. There's a bulletin board there. You can find work on it," said the man.

She nodded her thanks and started for the town. Not worrying about her lost memories.


	2. Chapter 2

Freedom

Disclaimer: I don't own Ruroni Kenshin

A/N: For those who need and explanation a sakabato is a reverse blade sword. I don't remember saying that last chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Among Friends

Chiaki silently walked down the road. Her katana and her sakabato swinging on her hips. Her long black hair was tied back in a pony tail. She was twenty seven and a wanderer. Ever since the Meji era started she had wandered from town to town looking for clues to her past life. She had no recollection of any of her memories except the fact that she was a fully fledged samurai. She had found no clues in the eleven years since she first lost her memories. She was tempted to give up. As she came into the town that was up ahead more and more people started to pass her. Most gave her cautious looks and walked far from where she was walking. It was normal. People didn't carry swords with them anymore except for her. She just didn't feel safe without it. She was heading back to Kyoto to bury her katana though. There was no more need for it. She used the sakabato more often now. But she had to pass through this next town to get there.

The stalls of the merchants were colorful and filled with wares of all kinds. The rich smells of spices and roasting fish also caught her attention. But Chiaki didn't have time for that, she needed to pass through the town quickly. But that was not fated to happen.

"You there stop!" came the command.

A few police officers were coming towards her and she had a hunch why.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

"There is a law here that says you can't carry swords," answered one of the cops.

"I'm passing through I'm not staying," she said.

"Then allow us to escort you to the outer limits," said the other.

She nodded, what ever got her through the town. The police men were very courteous as they walked through the town. But they were soon stopped by another group of policemen. Chiaki could sense that these men weren't there to talk, they wanted a fight.

"What are you doing?" asked one of the newcomers, he looked like the leader.

"We are escorting this pleasant young lady to the outskirts of town. She had no knowledge of our swords law and has agreed to exit this town as soon as possible," answered one of the policemen escorting her, she had found out his name was Tai.

"You know the law though. All sword carrying persons are to be arrested," said the man.

"She did not pose a threat or argue with us. She has no business in the city. There was no need for an arrest," answered the other police officer who Chiaki found out was Kiba.

"That is no excuse. Move aside and let me handle this," said the man.

"I can't let you do that," said Tai.

The newcomer punched Tai in the face. Not seeing the blow and not used to such violence he fell to the ground. Kiba raced over to help him. Chiaki stared at the newcomer with malicious eyes. The man drew his sword.

"You can't do that!" said Kiba.

The man kicked him in the stomach and approached Chiaki.

"I must warn you," she said, "I won't fight unless my life is in danger. If you're looking for a real fight go somewhere else."

The man looked infuriated. He approached with his katana and swung for her head. She dodged the strike with ease born of fighting. The man seemed surprised and attacked again. She dodged again and the man got even angrier.

The commotion was drawing a crowd. Chiaki peered at the people that had surrounded them now, creating a make shift arena. She dodged another strike. In his anger the man lashed out blindly. If she hadn't jumped in the way the woman who was standing in the way would have died. She screamed as the man's katana cut her arm close to her shoulder. Blood ran down her arm as she held it trying to stem the bleeding. Her hand went immediately to her katana, but something changed her mind and she moved her hand to the hilt of her sakabato. The man attacked again.

With lightning fast speed she drew and hit the man on his shoulder. Her moan in pain as the blow sent him to the ground.

"I will not allow you to continue this blind rampage. Innocent life will not be lost because you decided to pick a fight," she said.

The man stood. Again he attacked and this time she hit him hard in the stomach with the empty sheath at her belt. The man grunted in pain and fell to the ground unconscious. She sheathed her sword and went over to the policemen huddling on the ground.

"Are you okay?" she asked Kiba.

"I'm fine but Tai hasn't woken yet," he answered.

"Is there a doctor's near?"

"Yes."

"Show me the way. I'll carry him."

Easily she picked the police officer off the ground. Her arm bled more but she ignored the dizzy feeling of too much blood lost.

"Wait!" called a voice from the ground, "I'm a doctor. Bring him here!"

Chiaki saw a woman who was coming towards them. She nodded at her.

"Bring her in here," said another woman.

Chiaki was led into the back rooms of a restaurant called the Akabeko. She lay the police officer down on the floor putting a cushion under his head for support. The doctor started to look him over. Chiaki leaned against the wall. She couldn't stave off the dizziness any longer and she fell to a sitting position against the wall. The woman looked at her and ran over.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Before Chiaki answered the doctor saw the blood.

"Oh my," she said, "Miss Tae I need you to get water and clean bandages. This wound is bad. Please, hurry."

The other woman nodded and ran off as the doctor made Chiaki remove her arm from her sleeve. As soon as the other woman came back the doctor cleaned and bandaged the wound.

"Thank you," said Chiaki standing using the wall for support.

"What are you doing? You need to rest," said the doctor.

"I must be going. I am samurai I'm not welcome in this town."

"Don't be silly," said Miss Tae, "You save that woman's life. Of course you're welcome here. You can stay in the upstairs room till you've rested."

Chiaki nodded and smiled.

"Thank you."

With that she collapsed.

Megumi tucked the young woman into the bed upstairs. She had gone through a tough day. The wound on her arm had been deep, the blood loss alone was huge. But what was strange was that it had not slowed this girl down at all. She had fought and had carried someone with the wound where it would have made a normal man unconscious. But her body finally gave out and she was sleeping peacefully. In truth the police officer she had carried was fine, a bruise over his eye, nothing fatal. He had already woken and had gone back to his job. As Megumi looked at the woman's face she couldn't help but seem to know the girl. Shrugging off the feeling she left the room.

"She's sleeping. When she wakes give her some water and food," Megumi told Tae, "She's a strong one."

"I think I've seen her somewhere before," said Tae.

"Me too, but it would be rude to ask," answered Megumi.

"Oh, Kenshin and the others are here. They're eating right now," said Tae.

"Really. I'll go see them."

Megumi stepped into the restaurant and looked around. The place was packed. There were people from the street. They probably were waiting for the girl to wake and come out. She saw Kenshin and the others sitting in a booth by the door.

"Miss Megumi, how are you?" asked Koaru.

"I'm well thank you. How about you?" she answered.

"Very well thank you."

"What happened here Miss Megumi? People around were saying that there was a fight," asked Yahiko.

"There was. One of the special squad of the police confronted some other police who were escorting a young swordswoman out of town. A fight ensued. At first the girl didn't draw. She dodged all that the police officer could throw at her. But when he started to get angry he lashed out at a civilian and she jumped in front of the sword. It cut her really badly on the arm. But she continued to fight and she defeated the special squad's swordsman," answered Megumi, "I was just taking care of her wounds when Miss Tae said you were here."

"She defeated one of the special squad's swordsmen. She must be good," said Sano.

"What's strange is that she looks familiar," said Megumi.

"Really," said Kenshin, "Has she been around here before?"

"I haven't been able to ask. She collapsed after I took care of her wounds."

The small group sat in silence till Miss Tae brought out some food.

"It's amazing Miss Megumi, she's woken already. Her name is Chiaki, she has no last name," said Miss Tae.

"She's woken up already? That was faster than I'd expected," said Miss Megumi.

"Can we see her?" asked Yahiko.

"Sure, I'm sure she'll be glad to meet you," said Megumi.

Chiaki didn't know why but when she had finished with her bowl of soup she left some money to pay for it and left through the back door. She was never one to keep still for very long even when injured. She had wanted to say thank you to the doctor but she needed to move on. She wanted to get to Kyoto as quickly as possible. Once on the road again she walked quickly. She had become to involved with this town too much already.

"Where did she go?' asked Miss Tae looking at the empty bed, bowl, and money.

"She must have left through the back door," said Kenshin.

"We have to get her back. The wound on her arm is dangerous and needs to be almost fully healed before she can travel," said Megumi.

On hearing this Kenshin ran for the back exit.

Once on the street he asked vendors if they had seen a woman carrying a sword.

"Not one but two swords. She went that way," said a painting vendor pointing.

Kenshin ran that way. He kept a lookout for anyone with swords and soon spotted her in the crowd. She was walking quickly and she noticed that she didn't move one arm as much as the other. He ran towards her but she started running. _How does she know I'm following her?_ Kenshin thought. Suddenly she just disappeared. Kenshin ran faster. When he got to the place where she had disappeared he saw that she had slid down to the river bank. The footprints in the mud told him which way she had gone.

"Kenshin!" it was Sano.

"Sano she went down the river bank. I'll follow. You go to the other bridge. Hurry, she could hurt herself if we don't find her," said Kenshin.

Chiaki smiled in her hiding place underneath the bridge. She had heard their plans. She had walked in the mud creating footprints then she walked backwards in those footprints, so when the one who was following her went the way the footprints pointed she would run the other way. The man had a sword strapped to his side when he jumped down to follow the prints. When he was around a bend in the river she slowly crawled down and ran the other way. Little did she know she had been watched.

Sano saw the girl come out from under the bridge. He smiled at his own cleverness. He had thought she might pull something like that. He shot off down an alley heading for a very quick shortcut to the ford that he was sure she was headed to. He got there just as the ford came in. The girl was no where to be seen.

Kenshin stopped and looked around when the footprints stopped. Realizing the trick he cursed and turned to run back the other way. He had been tricked. _She must be a good swordswoman if she can think and move this quickly._ Kenshin thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Freedom

Freedom

Disclaimer: I don't own Ruroni Kenshin.

A/N: I just realized this is starting to sound like Anastasia. Oh well. Later I am also going to change some of the events that happen in the first few episodes. To answer someone's question about Kaoru being the main character: because Kaoru's personality is not like the character that I need at all. Chiaki fits the description better. Enjoy chapter 3.

Chapter 3:

Chiaki walked down the river bank quietly humming to herself. She knew the people following her were only trying to help, but she could not stop to rest. She had to get rid of the katana as quick as possible, her killing days were through. But she didn't want to just throw it away; she wanted to put it somewhere special. When she got to the ford it was just about ready to leave. She climbed aboard.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her uninjured arm and tried to yank her off the boat. She tripped and fell into strong arms. The man who had pulled her was wearing white pants and a white shirt that opened up in the front. He had bandages on his stomach and a red ribbon around his head. She had fallen into his arms. She pushed away and tried to get on the ford boat again.

"You're not going anywhere," he said.

"Leave me alone. I have to get to Kyoto," she said and tried to yank her hand out of his grasp.

"You need to rest."

"I'm warning you to let me go now or it will be worse for you."

He just smiled at her and didn't let go.

"I'm sorry about this but I warned you," she said cocking her arm back.

She released her arm in a powerful punch that sent the man reeling, effectively releasing his grip and allowing her to get on the ford. By the time he recovered she was already to far out of reach to pull back in. Pain shot up her arm and she clutched it feeling something wet under her clothing. She knew she had opened her wound again. She sat on the edge of the ford and tried to stop the bleeding but more was seeping through the bandages. Soon someone else on the ford saw the blood and told the ferry man to hurry over so they could get a doctor. She cursed herself for throwing that punch.

Looking back Chiaki saw the red haired man had finally seen through her trick and had met up with the man who had pulled her from the boat in the first place. When they got to the other side of the river she walked off the boat. Looking back she saw the worried expressions of the two looking at her. She turned away and started walking. But something made her stop. She didn't know what, but at the moment she stopped dead in her tracks.

Kenshin saw the girl stop in her tracks a few steps onto the path. He looked around for the possible reason of stopping but could find none. But all too soon it became clear. She gripped her head and Kenshin could see her trembling from where he was standing. She squatted down and her trembling worsened. Panic well up in Kenshin's chest. Suddenly the trembling stopped and she fell forward unconscious again.

"Well, that was a waste of time," said Sano.

Chiaki squatted down as she held her head. Pain shot through her temples and down her spine and she started to tremble. Images flashed before her eyes. A large fire, smoke all around her, people screaming, and blood, blood was everywhere. She knew this place though and remember eleven years back when she woke in the ruins of a burned building. But the images stopped and she blacked.

"Kenshin you found her!" yelled Miss. Megumi when the small group stepped through the door of the Akabeko.

"No, she was able to get across the river and would have been gone if she hadn't passed out," said Sano.

"Bring her inside and set her down. I need to take a look at her wounds," ordered Megumi.

"Look she waking up," said Kaoru.

Chiaki woke in the arms of the man who had been following her. She looked at his face and he smiled. She realized she was being carried and tried to get out of the hold.

"Hold on there a second," he said and set her down on the bed she had been in.

She looked around at all the people in the room. Her head started to ache and she held it in her hands.

"You should lie down," said a woman next to her, "Let me look at that wound."

Chiaki did as she asked.

"I need to get to Kyoto," she said, "Please, let me leave. I have to get there as soon as I can."

"Why?" asked the guy in white.

"I need to bury my katana in the place where I last remembered. I need to so I can ease this guilt," she said.

"Why would you need to do that?" asked a boy.

"Because in the war I killed a lot of people in the very short time that I was fighting. I feel guilty about it now and need to bury the instrument that killed those people then live a life protecting people," she said.

The room fell silent as the woman finished up on her arm.

"Thank you Miss…" she said.

"Megumi. And those guys are Kenshin, Sano, Yahiko, and Koaru," answered the woman.

"I'm Chiaki. Thank you for your help but I must be going," she said.

"You're going no where. Remember what happened last time?" asked Sano.

Sighing she sat back down and looked up at the people around her. She noticed Kenshin carried a sword. Not wanting to pry and not wanting to get to involved she quieted her curiousness.

"So tell us about yourself," said Kaoru.

"Not much to say. I fought in the war then became a wanderer. There's not much else to the story," she answered.

"Where did you grow up?" asked Sano.

"I don't remember."

"How come?" asked Yahiko.

"I don't know. All I remember is waking in a burned building in Kyoto eleven years ago. I didn't know where I was or even what I had been doing there in the first place. I was hurt and someone took care of me then I went to the battle lines where I helped end the war," she answered.

"Would you know anything about the missing princess from Kyoto?" asked Kenshin.

"No, why would I?" she asked.

Kenshin looked a little troubled.

"There's been rumors going around that people have been acting like they're the princess. They were all fakes though. I wonder if she really did survive," said Sano.

"Most people think she did. They didn't find her remains among the debris and bodies. What I wonder is how she got out when the whole palace was surrounded," Miss. Kaoru remarked.

Chiaki's head hurt and she laid back on the bed closing her eyes. Suddenly images flashed in front of her eyes like before. _There were the happy faces of a man and a woman, they were dressed in expensive clothing and looked important. They were hugging her, calling her daughter. 'I'm home Mother, Father,' her dream self said. The man and woman smiled again. The image swirled and changed. Now the man and woman were lying on the ground, blood was everywhere. 'Mother! Father!' her dream self cried._

Chiaki shout out of the back. Her new found acquaintances were sitting around her staring. Kaoru sighed when Chiaki relaxed a little.

"What was that about?" asked Sano.

"I saw images," she answered.

"What did you see?" asked Koaru.

"Two people, a man and a woman. They looked rich."

"Do you know who they are?" asked Megumi.

"I think they were my parents. But that's impossible. A rich family wouldn't send their only child away to learn to fight. Would they?" she answered.

The others stayed quiet.

"You should sleep," said Kenshin walking out of the room.

Chiaki nodded and laid down to sleep.

Kenshin waited for his friends outside the Akabeko, something was troubling him. Chiaki had said that she had woken eleven years ago in a burned building. That was the extent of her memories. She also said that she woke in Kyoto. The only building in Kyoto that was burned was the palace the day of the attack. He needed to research this some more.

"What's wrong Kenshin?" asked Sano.

"I have a strange feeling about this. The only building that was burned eleven years ago in Kyoto was the palace. Do you think she's the lost princess?" asked Kenshin.

"She couldn't be. Princesses aren't taught to fight. She could have been part of the guard or maybe the princess's friend and body guard," answered Sano.

"But all of the guards and servants were accounted for, dead or alive. The princess just disappeared. She wasn't among the survivors and her body wasn't found among the ruins."

"Maybe we should follow her to Kyoto and see if she can remember anything."

"Maybe."

There was a crash from the Akabeko and someone screamed. Wheeling the two rushed into the restaurant and to the place where the screams originated. Kaoru and Yahiko were on the ground and Chiaki was also on the ground she was awake somehow.

"What happen?" asked Kenshin.

"Miss. Megumi was taken by some men. They said they were from Edo castle," answered the girl.

She sat up and looked at her arm which was bleeding again.

"Damn thing," she cursed, "Can you get me a needle and thick thread?"

Sano nodded and got what she asked. Kenshin and Sano watched as she stitched the wound up, not wincing once. When she was done she and the two men checked over Yahiko and Kaoru. They woke when they moved them.

"What happened?" asked Yahiko.

"Miss. Megumi was taken. We're going to get her back," said Kenshin.

"We're coming with," said Kaoru.

"I am too."

The group looked at Chiaki who was strapping on her swords.

"But you're still injured badly," said Sano.

"The stitches will hold. Besides she saved my life. I need to return the favor," she answered.

The group looked apprehensive but let her come. Chiaki smiled. So much for not getting involved.


End file.
